The Follow-Up: Added Value from Textron Systems SFW Value Stream Mapping Event

Abstract

Over a six-day period in the final quarter of 2004, members of the Lean Aerospace Initiative (LAI), Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Rockwell Collins, and Metis Design met with host company Textron Systems in a collaborative effort to map the enterprise value stream of Textron’s Sensor Fuzed Weapon (SFW) program. The workshop also included participation from the US Air Force (USAF), Alliant Techsystems, Cessna Aircraft, Herley Industries, and Pioneer Aerospace. This commentary describes the results and follow-up in the six months since the workshop was held. Some of this information is contained also in a presentation of Geoff Bentley and Hugh McManus, entitled “Textron Systems Sensor Fuzed Weapon VSM Event: Using LAI Tools to Transform a Program Enterpise”, delivered at the LAI Plenary Conference on 23 March 2005.